Freshmen trotting fillies took center stage on a balmy and humid Thursday event at Scioto Downs, with a quartet of $40,000 Ohio Sires Stakes divisions featured in round two action.
Kikimora -- whose name means "a witch who leaves wet footprints in the kitchen" -- scored the first OSS division triumph in 1:58.1 as the 8-5 choice with Aaron Merriman at the lines. Trained and co-owned by Chris Beaver for partner Sandra Burnett of Wilmington, Ohio, this Triumphant Caviar distaff had finished second in Leg One to Globetrotting. She bested 4-5 rival Spend That Money (James MacDonald) at the wire by 2-1/2 lengths after sitting in the two hole throughout the mile behind the Jason McGinnis trainee, with 9-1 Delaware Ave (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.) coming from off the pace to grab third place honours.
Kikimora sports a bankroll of $33,100 after Thursday's win.
Trainer McGinnis sent out Compass Rose DC in the second OHSS division and the Uncle Peter lass and driver James MacDonald didn’t disappoint, using front-stepping tactics to score by 1-1/2 lengths in a very modest 2:01. Sent off at odds of 1-5, Compass Rose DC is owned by Thestable Compass Rose DC of Guelph, Ont. Two longshots finished second and third respectively: 34-1 Catwalk As (Elliott Deaton) got up for second, while 50-1 My Cousin Eileen was third for Peter Wrenn.
Bred by Steiner Stock Farm, Compass Rose DC was a $16,000 yearling purchase at the 2018 Ohio Select and has earned $40,000 in just two lifetime trips postward.
Mild 7-1 longshot Uncle Peters Love posted a 1:59.2 victory in the third OHSS division for driver Peter Wrenn and owner/trainer Erv Miller. A daughter of Uncle Peter, this robust filly was seventh in Leg One but redeemed herself with this effort, finishing 1-3/4 lengths in front of 9-5 favourite Globetrotting (Anthony MacDonald), who had gone off stride prior to the start and made up a ton of ground to finish second. Miss Stunner was third for Chris Page as odds of 2-1.
Uncle Peters Love -- who earned her first paycheque via this victory -- is the fourth foal out of the unraced dam Love Me Two Times.
Finally, it was 9-2 Guinevere Hall who ended up in the winner’s circle in the fourth OHSS division, stopping the timer in 1:59 with Peter Wrenn at the lines once again. Trained by Melanie Wrenn for the M T Pockets Stables of Pompano Beach, Fl. and David McDuffeee of Delray Beach, Fl., this Cash Hall lass upped her career earnings to $24,800. She was able to hold off the hard-trying 11-1 Hometown Honey (Tyler Smith) who came flying late from the back of the pack, while 20-1 Evita was third for Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.
Ohio Sires Stakes continue tonight at Scioto Downs with three $40,000 divisions for two-year-old pacing fillies and two $50,000 divisions for three-year-old trotting colts.